Noah Addis/The Star-LedgerExterior of the old South Amboy Memorial Medical Center in a 2001 file photo.
SOUTH AMBOY -- A Superior Court judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by the owners of the former South Amboy Memorial Medical Center, who claimed the city illegally stopped them from opening a mental health care facility.

Superior Court Judge James Hurley granted the city's motion for summary judge to dismiss the suit brought by Rocky Top LLC.

When Rocky Top purchased the closed hospital in 2001, deed restrictions prohibited operation of a mental health facility in the Bordentown Avenue building.

Rocky Top and two other companies planning to provide services in the building challenged the restrictions, along with a zoning board decision that the proposed services were not permitted under the city's zoning regulations for the property.

Hurley had previously dismissed that challenge following a trial.

In his Feb. 8 decision, Hurley dismissed several other challenges, including claims the city failed to allow due process for hearing applications and claims that the restriction discriminated against people with disabilities.

Hurley said the services proposed for the building were prohibited by the city redevelopment plan.